Changeable-sign-exhibiting device.



J. J. METZGER.

GHANGEABLE SIGN EXHIBITING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED In 20, 1937.

901,63 1 Patented Oct. 20, 1908. I 3 SEEBTS-SHEET 1.

O -1- zd I WIT'INESSES: V mu/mrofi 22%; @W a I I 5 ATTORNEYS.

s'rsns 5a.. WASHINGTON! n. c.

J. J. METZGER. I GHANGEABLE SIGN EXHIBITING DEVICE.

' v 'AiPPLIOATIOI IILB-DVIAY 20, 1907. Patented Oct 20 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR ATTORNEYJ.

Tn: NORRIS PETERS co., WASHiNGTON, n cy J; J. METZGER. GHAYGEABLE SIGN BXHIBITIHG DEVICE. APPLICATION TILED-KAY 20, 1901.

901 631; Patented 0011.20, 1903. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR MAW/Mm THE NORRIS ps'rzks c174, wAsHlMaruN. n. c,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB J. METZGER, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO. l

CHANGEABLE-SIGN-E XHIBITING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 20, 1908.

Application filed. May 20, 1907. Serial N 0. 374,676.

changeable sign exhibiting devices for ad- 1 vertising purposes. I

The object of this invention is to provide a device of the character indicated which will be simple in construction, durable in operation, compact in size and capable of displaying a large number of different signs.

Another object of my invention is to secure case of operation and facility in changing the signs which are to be dis layed.

My invention, therefore, consists in providing in combination with a supporting frame a plurality of sign receiving surfaces or sign boards, each of which is composed of a series of independent sections, means for supporting said sections so that all sections when in their inoperative or backward position will lie in approximately parallel planes and so that when a series of sections comprisin a sign board is in its operative or forward position each section thereof will lie in approximately the same plane and at a right angle to the backward or inoperative position and means for actuating the sections constituting a series forming one sign board into its forward or backward position without interfering with the other sections.

My invention also consists in the features of construction and combination of parts as described in the specification, pointed out in the claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a View in front elevation of a device em bodying my invention with one sign board in its forward position. Fig. 2 is a section on line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 1s a view of the lower part of the device with the front broken away. Fig. 4 is a detail view in section to illustrate the position assumed by a sign section midway between its backward or forward position. Fig. 5 is a similar view showing a sign section in its forward position. Fig. 6 is a section on line 66, Fig. 3.

Broadly speaking, a machine embodying my invention consists of a frame or casing for holding the sections which go to make up the sign exhibiting surfaces, whichwill hereinafter be termed the sign boards, and mechanism for supporting and actuating the said sections in order that the sections which go to form a sign board can be advanced and arranged across the front of the frame so as to form a continuous sign board or drawn back and arranged compactly within the casing.

Each sign board is made up of a series of sections and there will therefore be as many separate series as there are sign boards and the number of sign boards will be limited only by the size of the frame. The

series forming a single sign board may comprise as many independent sections as desired and each section may consist of a single leaf or a plurality of leaves hinged together and when a section is composed of a plurality of leaves the arrangement is such that when the section is in its inoperatlve or backward position the leaves thereof will fold flat against each other. The length of the leaves forming the sections will depend upon the position of the sections in the frame and the number of sections going to make up a sign of a given length, that is,

the leaves will differ in length according to the space which they are to cover when in their forward or operative position. The leaves of the sections are pivotally hung from supports so that they are capable of swinging through an arc of 90 while being moved from their backward to their forward position and vice versa. The sections may be advanced into their forward or operative position or drawn back into their inoperative or backward position individually but "perfect uniformity of movement is best secured by coupling together all the sections of each series constituting a sign board.

Again referring to the drawings 1 represents the frame or casing for holding the sign sections and operating mechanism. In the lower part of the casing 1 is arranged a platform 2 which divides the casing into an upper compartment 3 and a lower com partment 3. The upper compartment 3 is open at its front while the lower compartment 3 is preferably completely closed except where it is provided with a small slot to accommodate the ends of the levers hereinafterdescr'ibed. In the compartmnt'3 are arranged the sign sections 1 which go to make up the sign board and, as shown in the draiv ings, there are fifteen of these sections divided into five series of three sections each so that the device illustrated is capable of exhibiting five different sign boards. Each section 41 consists of two leaves 5 which are flexibly united by suitable hingemembers 6. Each sign board being composed of three sections, if we number from the left, the first, sixth and eleventh sections will form one sign board, the second, seventh and twelfth sections will form another,

. the third, eighth and thirteenth sections will form another, the fourth, ninth and fourteenth sections will form another, and the fifth, tenth and fifteenth sections will form the last.

The sections are operatively supported in the following manner, on the inner face of the rear wall of the casing are formed a series of straps or guide-ways and near the bottom thereof are formed a similar series of straps 11 and the straps in the upper series are arranged in vertical alinement with the straps in the lower series. As many straps are provided in each series as there are sign sections to be supported. In

; each pair of upper and lower straps is slidably mounted a vertically arranged bar 15. To each bar are pivotally secured two rods 16 one near the upper end and the other near the lower end thereof. At the free end of the rods 16 are arranged hooks 17 which are designed to engage with eyelets 18 or other suitable devices secured on the sign sections, so that the sign sections may be pivotally hung from said rods and also may be readily removed'therefrom when it is desired to change the sign. A stretcher rod 19 is pivotally secured at one end to each strap and at -its other end to the adjacent rod 16 near its center.

When the sign sections are in their back: ward position the rods 16 will extend downwardly and the stretcher rods 19 will extend up "ardly and therefore if one of the bars be pulled down it will draw down the inner end of the rods 16 connected therewith and the outer ends thereof will be moved forward, as the stretcher rods 19 serve as pivots and the stretcher rods themselves will move down and out at the same time. Therefore the sign sections which are supported from said rods 16 will be caused to move out toward the front end of the frame. All the bars 15 which are connected with sections which form one series or sign board are preferably connected by a hori-. zontal cross piece 23 and therefore when one of the bars 15 of a series is actuated the rest of the bars of that series will move therewith and all sections constituting one sign board will be operated together. When the bars 15 of one series of sign sections are thus' fastened together an extenslon 2 1 1s formed on one of the bars so that 1t pro]ects below the platform 2 and therein is formed an,

On the upper surface of the beneath each leaf of each sign The guideopening platform 2 section is formed a guideway ways are straight and extend parallel with each other, but near the front of the casing the guideways are forked and the branches thereof curved in opposite directions.

On the bottom of each leaf of each sign section is pivotally secured a shoe 31 which is arranged to travel in the guideway beneath the leaf and sufficient curvature is given to the guideway so that when the shoe approaches the outer end of the guideway it will cause the leaf, to which it is fastened, to swing around in an arc of 90 and assume a position across the front of the frame. In the lower portion of the casing is arranged a horizontal shaft 35 on which are rigidly mounted a series of disks 36, one disk being provided for each series of sign sections. In each disk 36 is formed a cam-groove 37. All the cam-grooves 37 in the respective disks are similar but the disks are so mounted on the shaft 35 that the active portions of the cam-grooves come into their operative positions in rotation and during a single revolution of the shaft the active part of each camgroove will be brought into its operative position once. A lever 38 is arranged in proximity to each disk and one end of said lever is pivotally secured to the wall of the casing and the other end extends into the opening 25 in the extension 24 of a bar 15. A pin 39 extends from the lever 38 into the cam groove of the adjacent disk. An electric motor 10 is operatively connected with the shaft 35 by means of suitable gearing 41. Lugs are preferably arranged on the edges of the sections to aid in alining the sections.

The operation of my machine is as follows:lVhen the shaft 35 is revolved by means of the motor 40 the disks will be rotated and the pin 39 in one of the levers 38 will be in the active part of the cam-groove of the adjacent disk and therefore the-lever 38 will be swung down drawing down the bar 15 to which it is operatively connected, and all the other bars 15 to which are secured sections of the same sign will also be drawn down as these bars are connected together. The drawing down'of the bars 15 will force out the sign sections as heretofore described and the shoes thereon as they come to the forked ends of the guideways will cause the leaves thereof to separate and swing around and extend across the front of the frame, and the edges of the leaves of one section will abut against the edges of the leaves of the ad acent sections. As the shaft continues to rotate the same lever Wlll 30 for the greater part of their length v Cir be moved up shoving up the bars and draw ing in the rods connected to the sign sections, which will cause the sections to assume their original or backward position and while the first set of sections is being drawn back a new set of sections for a new sign will be moved forward in the same manner through the rotation of the disks and the actuation of the levers connected with the sections. Therefore in the course of a single revolution of the shaft all the sections will be advanced to their forward positions so as to make a sign and then redrawn into their backward position. I

What I claim is 1. In a changeable sign exhibiting device, the combination with a frame, of a sign board arranged within said frame comprising a series of independent sections arranged in different planes, each of said sections consisting of a plurality of hinged leaves, means for supporting said sections, means for actuating said sections back and forth in said frame, and means for causing the leaves of each section to separate as they are moved forward in said frame and assume a position at an angle to the position occupied by said leaves in their backward position.

2. In a changeable sign exhibiting device, the combination with a frame, of a sign board arranged within said frame comprising a series of independent sections arranged in different planes, each of said sections consisting of a plurality of hinged leaves, means for supporting said sections, means for actuating said sections back and forth in said frame, a series of guideways provided with curved outer ends arranged in said frame, and shoes secured to the leaves of each section and adapted to travel in said guideways when the section is actuated within said frame.

3. In a changeable sign exhibiting device, the combination with a frame, of a vertical bar slidably mounted in said frame, a sign section, a rod pivotally secured to said sign section at one end and at its opposite end to said vertical bar, a stretcher rod pivotally secured at one end to a stationary support in said frame and having its other end pivotally secured to the first-mentioned rod near its center, means for actuating said bar in a vertical direction, a guideway having a curved outer end and a shoe secured to said sign section and arranged to travel in said guideway.

4. In a changeable sign exhibiting device, the combination with a frame, of a plurality of bars slidably mounted in said frame, means for actuating said bars longitudinally, means for coupling a predetermined number of said bars together in series, a plurality of sign sections, a predetermined number of which are adapted to form a sign board, means for pivotally supporting each section of a series forming the sign board from a corresponding bar of a series of bars, said means comprlsing a rod pivotally secured at one end to said bar and at its other end to a sign section a stretcher rod pivotally secured to a stationary support in said frame at one end and at its opposite end to said rod, guideways arranged in said frame and provided with curved outer ends, and shoes secured to said sign sections and adapted to extend into said guideways.

5. In a changeable sign exhibiting device, the combination with a frame, of a plurality of sign boards arranged within said frame, each sign board comprising a series of independent sections arranged in different planes within said frame, means for supporting said sections, means for actuating the sections of each sign board back and forth in said frame without actuating the sections of the other sign boards, and means for causing all the sections of each sign board to swing into the same plane when moved into their forward position.

6. In a changeable sign exhibiting device, the combination with a frame, of a plurality of sign boards arranged within said frame, each sign board comprising a series of independent sections arranged in different planes, means for supporting said sections, means for coupling together the sections forming each sign board, a shaft, means for driving said shaft, a series of cam-disks mounted on said shaft, and means for operatively connecting the supporting means of the sign sections forming each sign board with one of said disks.

7. In a changeable sign exhibiting device, the combination with a frame of a sign board comprising a series of sections, each section consisting of a plurality of leaves folded against each other, means for supporting said sections, a guide way for each section'provided at its outer end with oppositely curved branches, means for actuating the sections back and forward and means arranged on the leaves of each section and adapted to engage with the curved branches of the guideway therefor so as to cause said leaves to diverge when moved to their forward position.

8. In a changeable sign exhibiting device, the combination with a frame of a sign board comprising a series of sections, each section consisting of a plurality of leaves folded against each other, means for supporting said sections, means for actuating said sections back and forward and means for causing theleaves of each section to diverge and extend across the front of the frame when moved to their forward position.

9. In a changeable sign exhibiting device, the combination with a frame of a sign board comprising a series of sections, each section consisting of a plurality of leaves folded together when in their inoperative position, means for supporting said sections, means for actuating said sections back and forth, a straight guideway arranged below each section and provided at its outer end with oppositely curved branches and shoes arranged on the leaves of each section and adapted to travel in said guideways, sub

stantially as described and for the purpose 10 set forth.

In testimony whereof, I sign the foregoing specification, in the presence of two witnesses.

JACOB J. METZGER. \Vitnesses VICTOR C. LYNCH, DANIEL E. DALY. 

